Difficulties should motivate you to become better – Kirubi

September 14, 2014 5:29 pm

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Dr Kirubi plants a tree at the institution/FRANCIS MBATHA

By VICTORIA KIOKO, NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 14 – Industrialist Dr Chris Kirubi is asking students to understand and apply the content they are taught as opposed to a mentality where education is only about excelling in exams.

Speaking at the Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls High School, Dr Kirubi challenged teachers to offer mentorship programs to help mould students into all-rounded individuals, besides attaining good grades.

“Education is what gives the quality of life for young people and that education must be crafted in a way that it is not only for passing exams; it is also for teaching life experiences. I would like to ask the principal to bring more people like me here to interact with the students so that by the time they leave these gates, their expectations about life is not a surprise,” Dr Kirubi said.

“Lots of young people who leave universities today can’t write job applications leave alone knowing what career paths they would like to take. I therefore believe there is a huge space for mentoring young people and I am happy to be involved.”

Dr Kirubi also encouraged students to work hard regardless of their backgrounds citing examples from his early childhood experiences.

“I was orphaned at a very early age. I had nobody to support me. I went through schooling through charity. I went for holidays with people who sympathised with me; from one term to another I went to various homes just to pass time. My biggest comfort was when I was in school because I was assured of a roof over my head,” he explained.

“Do not give up and please do not waste your time. Focus on what brought you here, do your education. Have some strategy and direction on what you want to become in the future. Because as it is said, the one who doesn’t know the destination they are heading to never gets lost. Simply, they are going nowhere and everywhere.”

“Please define your destination; your life is in your own hands. The fact that you are less privileged than another should motivate you to become better.”

As the school marks its 50th year celebrations, Senior Principal Jane Kiraguri says the institution has expanded both physically and demographically over the years to the present 967 girls.

“Since its inception with the initial 24 batch of girls who recorded 100 percent in their Cambridge examination, the institution has produced great ladies of substance who are serving in all sectors and spheres of the economy here in the country and worldwide,” she said.

However with the increased number of students annually, the school faces a shortage of teachers and facilities, a challenge Kiraguri points out.

“The government has tried to support and assist the school through donations but with that, still we feel there are other facilities we need to improve and add. With the Sh25 million from the government, the school was able to expand the classes from a two stream to five stream,” she said

Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls High School boasts of sending 94 percent of its total candidature to public universities with six percent getting admission to various private universities.

VICTORIA KIOKO To practice writing with her first ink pen, Victoria Kioko chose to write a short story. Since then, her love affair with words grows stronger every passing moment. As a graduate from JKUAT, she aspires to be a published author in the near future.